Indicating system



Sept. 8, 1936.

FIGJ

H. E. HERSHEY INDICATING SYSTEM Filed 00. 24, 1934 4 SheetsSheet -l INVENTOR HARRY E. HERSHEY Sept. 8, 1936. H. E. HERSHEY 2,053,774

INISICATING SYSTEM V Filed Oct. 24, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 SiATION Zl RED sLuEg RED STATiON 22,,GREEN BLUEK STATION 15 BLUERSTATION I2 ,(RED \YELLOW) RED GREEN YELLOW@ (QT-GRAY BLUE-,\ STATION IO AGREEN G N" Y OW STATONII YELLOWJ GRAY/ ELUE REDV REEN YELLOW) 7o NE STATIONI3 BLUE RED GREEN7\ YELLOW;\ GRAY,\'

E @AA@@ BLUE RED GREENE YELLOW I GRAY E! -ED sweg RED mEEN YELLOWT GRAYm @cc BLUE RE 0 GFEEN fVELLOW GRAY W INVENTYOR HARRY E. HERSHEY AT T Y.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDICATIN G SYSTEM Application October 24, 1934, Serial No. 749,711

3 Claims.

This invention relates in general to indicating systems and more particularly to a dispatchers display board for indicating the location of different types of mobile units or apparatus.

The main object of the present invention. is to provide an electrically controlled display board for indicating the presence or absence of mobile units or apparatus of different given classes at certain designated points in a mimic diagram of a given area in order to enable the operator to visualize the relative geographic location of each different unit or apparatus assigned to the area.

A feature of the invention relates to the display panel which is made up of small interchange- 0 able squares or escutcheons, such as disclosed and described in the White Patent Number 2,010,338, issued August 6, 1935. The panel represents a given area and is divided into sections or zones. The mobile units or equipment are designated by symbols painted on one or more of the interchangeable squares. Each similar unit or equipment being representedv by a like color, whilev dissimilar units or equipment are represented by different colors. Each symbol also being. located on the panel as near as possible to its relative geographic location. Each escutcheon symbol, representative of a given type of unit or apparatus, has a small rectangularopening through which one of a plurality of numerals on a rotatable drum is visible to the operator.

Another feature relates to the means for enabling the operator to select and operate any desired drum of a symbol in any zone or section to display different digits which in combination with the color of the symbol indicates the geographic l'ocation of a particular mobile unit or apparatus.

A system of' this type may be used for indicating the location of. any type of mobile unit or equipment such as fire fighting apparatus, pol-ice units or apparatus, or even military maneuvers in a given area.

Municipal fire departments have long felt the need of an animateddispatch board which would continuously present to the dispatcher a graphic picture of the minute by minute distribution of the fire fighting. apparatus.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4', inclusive, the invention will be described; in connectionwith a municipal fire department wherein the display panel illustrates the different fire zones and the different colored symbols represent the different types of fire fighting apparatus at the different fire stations.

' stations equipped with the full quota of fire fight- Fig. 1- shows the display panel illustrating a map or mimic diagram of the municipality divided into fire zones and an operators or dispatchers section in the lower right-hand corner.

Fig. 2' shows the different fire stations with their different colored symbols representing different types of apparatus and the dispatchers display section;

Figs. 3 and 4 show the detail circuit connections for operating the different symbols on the panel to display digits.

Referring now in detail to Fig. I the area as shown is divided into eleven zones designated Zl'll' to Z", inclusive, and Z2 l' to Z23, inclusive. Zones IE1, H, l2, l3, l5, 2| and 22. each have a fire sta- 15 tion in the relative location shown by the symbols somewhat resembling dumb-bells and designated SI'U, Sll, etc. Certain of the zones are outlying districts and do not have fire stations. Other zones in more congested districts have fire ing apparatus, while still other zones have less fire fighting equipment as indicated by the number of symbols in each station.

In the dispatchers section in Fig. 1 there are shown four groups. of symbols which are used by the dispatcher to display the particular pieces of apparatus sent. to a fire ina givenzone. The first group, or group AA, is used to designate the apparatus sent. to outlying zones such as zone 23, 30 where, in all probability, only one fire may be reported at a time. The lower group, or group DD to DG, is used to designate the apparatus sent tocongested zones, such as l2, where. in. severe fires a large amount of fire fighting apparatus. maybe needed.

In the upper portion of Fig. 2 are shown enlarged views of the symbols of all the stations while the lower portion shows the symbols in'the four groups of the. dispatchers display section- Station 2| shows two sets of different colored symbols thereby indicating that fire station. 2| has two different types of. standard fire fighting apparatus, hereinafter referred to as the blue and the red apparatus. Station [3 shows five sets 45 of different colored symbols thereby indicating that fire station 13' has five different types of. standard fire fighting apparatus. hereinafter referred to as the blue,v red, green, yellow, and gray apparatus. The colored portion of each symbol 0 is in the shape of a dumb-bell. Each colored: symbol hasa rectangular opening through which a numeral on a rotatable drum is visible. A magnet positioned behind the symbol operates the drum one step for each deenergizati'on. An electro-mechanical signalling device of. this character is disclosed in Patent No. 1,966,042 issued July 10, 1934 to H. F. Obergfell. In the above patent the rotatable drum has different colored sections on its periphery while in the instant application numerals 0-7, inclusive, instead of colors are printed on the periphery of the drum.

The numbers displayed by each symbol indicate the station such particular type of apparatus is normally assigned to. For example, the number 2I in the blue symbols of station 2I indicates that the blue apparatus of fire station 2I is at its home position or at station 2|. When the digits 0-0 are displayed then such apparatus has left its fire station, as illustrated in the blue symbols for fire station I5 in Fig. 2. The number II displayed in the blue symbol of fire station I2 indicates that the blue apparatus of station I2 has left and that the blue apparatus of station II has taken its place at station I2. In case a given piece of apparatus is out of order the number 71 is displayed in the corresponding colored symbol of the station such as shown for the green apparatus for station I0. The two left-hand columns in the dispatchers section in Fig. 2 do not have colored symbols but the squares therein have openings through which the numerals on the rotatable drum of an electromechanical devioe is visible. The numbers displayed in these columns indicate the zones in which the fires are located. According to the dispatchers section zones 23 and I2 are displayed thereby indicating fires in these zones.

In the first group AA to the right of displayed numerals 2 and 3 the blue symbol has the number 22 therein while the remaining colored symbols are set at zero thereby indicating that the blue apparatus of fire station 22 has been sent to a fire in zone 23.

In the first row DD of the last group number I2 is displayed in the zone columns while the blue, red, green, yellow, and gray symbols of. this row display the numbers I2, thereby indicating that the blue, red, green, yellow, and gray apparatus of station I2 has been sent to a fire in zone I2. In the second row DE the blue, red and green symbols display the numbers I5, thereby indicating that the blue, red, and green apparatus of fire station I5 has also been sent to a fire in zone I2.

In the third row DF, the blue and red symbols display the numbers I3, thereby indicating that the blue and red apparatus of fire station I3 has also been sent to a fire station in zone I2.

In the upper left-hand corner of Fig. 3 is shown a diagrammatic representation comprising the painted square or escutcheon, the rotatable drum, the ratchet, armature and pawl, and the indicator magnet SI of the first blue symbol in station I2. Each of the remaining indicator magnets S2 to SIO, inclusive, for station I2 control similar mechanism to display a numeral through the square hole in the painted symbol escutcheon. The mechanism controlled by the indicator magnets is similar to that disclosed in the aforementioned Obergfell patent. The bracketed conductors extending to the top of the drawings extend to similar indicator magnets at the remaining stations. A group of station relays RI2 to RIO, connect the apparatus keys AK-I to AKI0, inclusive, to the respective indicator magnets of such stations when the corresponding station key is operated. A group of station keys SKI2 to SKID and a release key RK are shown associated with the station relays for controlling such relays. A lamp is also associated with each station key to indicate the operated condition of each station relay.

At the bottom of Fig. 3 is shown the symbols of group DD of the dispatchers section together with the indicator magnets associated therewith.

In the lower portion of Fig. 4 is shown the dispatchers display keys AAK to DGK which when operated control the operation of corresponding relays RAA to RDG. Relays RAA to RDG, when operated, operatively connect the indicating magnets associated with the symbols in the dispatchers section to the apparatus keys in Fig. 3 and the zone keys in Fig. 4 as illustrated by cable I8 for the group DD. A lamp is associated with each relay to indicate to the dispatcher the particular set of indicating magnets connected to the apparatus keys. The above arrangement therefore shows a coordinate relay selective scheme for selecting and operating the different indicating magnets.

Having given a description of the apparatus and drawings, a detailed description will now be given of the diiferent circuit operations for enabling the dispatcher to operate the display board. For this purpose it will be assumed that each piece of fire-fighting apparatus is in its home position. Each symbol will then display the number of the station within which it appears, and the symbols of the dispatchers section Will all be set to display zeros. It will now be assumed that a fire is reported by telephone to the dispatcher from zone I2, whereupon the dispatcher orders all of the apparatus of station I2 to go to the location of the fire. mitting this order the dispatcher operates the station key SKI2 assigned to station I2 at his position thereby completing a circuit for energizing station relay RI2 from grounded battery through key SKIZ and through the winding of relay RI2 to negative battery. At its lower armature relay RI2 completes a locking circuit for itself from grounded battery at the normally closed release key RK over an obvious circuit. Lamp LI 2 associated with key SKI 2 is maintained illuminated from grounded release conductor II through the lower armature of relay RI2 and through the filament of lamp LI2 to negative battery. At its upper armatures I2I to I20, in-

clusive, relay RI2 operatively connects the indieating magnets SI to SID, inclusive, associated with station I2 to the apparatus keys AKI to AK-I0, inclusive. Since the dispatcher has ordered all of the equipment from station I2 to proceed to the fire the dispatcher will now operate the apparatus keys in order to cause the symbols to display the digit 0. In response to the operation of key AK--I a circuit is completed from grounded battery and key AKI by way of armature I 2I and through the winding of indicating magnet SI to negative battery. Magnet SI energizes and operates its armature preparatory to rotating the numbered drum by way of the ratchet shown. Upon each release of key AK-I indicating magnet SI deenergizes and advances the drum one step. The dispatcher continues to operate key AK-I in this manner until zero is visible in the first blue symbol in station I 2. In a similar manner the dispatcher operates the remaining apparatus keys to cause all of the symbols in station I2 to display the numeral 0. When all of the symbols in station I2 are set at zero position the dispatcher will operate the release key RK to open the locking circuit of station relay RI2 and the circuit to lamp LI 2 After transs ears thereby deenergizing relay RH and extinguisheing the lamp L12. The symbols in station l2 now indicate that the blue red; green, yellow, and gray fire-fighting apparatus of station l2 are nolonger at such. station.

7 As the fire is in a congested district the dispatcher desires to set the display on. the DD section. of the. dispatchers section. The dispatcher now operates the display key DDK, thereby completing. a circuit for energizing relay RDD from positive battery through the key DDK andthrough the. winding of relay RED. At its lower armature relay RDD completes a. locking circuit for itself from the grounded release conductor l l and also. completes a circuit for illuminating. lamp LDD associated with the operators key. In response to the operation of relay RDD the zone keys ZKI and ZKZ and the apparatuskeys are associated with the indicating magnets associated with the group DD shown in Fig. 3 by way of cable I8. The dispatcher now operates the zone key ZKl and zone key ZKZ to cause the zone indicators. to display thenumeral l2, thereby indicating. that there is. afire in zone 12. Theci'rcuit. for operating the zone indicating; magnet.

Zl may be traced as follows: from grounded bat-- tery by way of operators key ZKI, armature til,

conductor llincluded in cable l8. and through the winding. of relay Zl to battery. In a similar manner to that. previously described each release of the zone key ZKI. deenergizes zone indicating magnet Zl to step the drum'in the lefthand zone column to. display a new number. The dispatcher continues to. operate the indicat-- ing magnet Z-l until the numeral lis displayed. Ina similar manner over a circuit including zone key ZK2I, armature 62,. and conductor 12, the zone indicating magnet Z2 is operated to cause the numeral 2 to be displayed in. the second zone column. After setting the zone indicators in accordance with the zone the fire is in. the dis.- patcher then operates the apparatus keys to cause. the blue. red, green, yellow, and gray symbols in group DD to display the numeral [2 thereby indicating that the five different pieces of fire-fighting apparatus have been sent from station 12 to a fire in zone 12. The circuit for energizing the first indicating magnet BI may be traced as. follows: from positive or grounded battery by way of apparatus key AK-.-l, con-.- ductor l,. armature 4i, conductor 5|, by way of cable 18 and through the winding of indicating magnet Bl to negative battery. In a. manner similar to that previously described the dispatcher operates the. apparatus key AK-J until the numeral I. is displayed to the first blue symbol. In a similar manner in response to-the operation of key AK-2 the second indicating magnet B2 is operated by way of armature 42, conductor 52 and cable l8 to display the numeral 2. the second blue symbol in. group DD. In a manner similar tothat just described the remaining indicating magnets associated with group DD are operated in response to the opcitations of apparatus keys to display the desired numerals in the symbols shown.

The dispatcher next orders the blue. red, and green apparatus from station No. H to move up to station l2.,, since zone I2 is a congested area. In a. manner similar to that just described, the dispatcher, in. response. tothe operation oi station. key SK and the. proper corresponding apparatus keys. causes the blue, red, and green symbols in station H to indicate zero,. thereby remindingthev dispatcher that the blue, red, and

green apparatus of station H have left suchstation. The dispatcher nowoperates the. release key to causethe disassociation of the indicating magnets of station H from the apparatus keys. The dispatcher now operates station SKIZ and the proper apparatus keys to cause the blue, red, and green symbols in station l2 to display the numeral: It, thereby reminding the dispatcher that the blue, red, and green apparatus of station H has been. moved to station I12. The dis patcher new orders the blue and; red apparatus of statioulfl to move into station H. Inamanner similar to that previously described. the dis:- patchen operates the station key SKIZB and the apparatus keys A-Kl to A-K4 in order to .set the blue and red symbols at station I B to 282013081. tion, thereby indicating that the blue and. red apparatus are no. longer at this station. After the release of the release key BK the dispatcher operates the station key SKH and the apparatus key AK-l to AK.--4 to cause the blue andred symbols in station ll: to indicate the numeral to, thereby reminding the dispatcher that the blue and red apparatus of. station l0 has been moved; to station ll-.

It will: next be assumed that a tireis reported in. zone 23 whereupon the dispatcher orders the blue apparatus of station 22. to go to the location of the fire; since in: this case zone 23 is anoutlying district and has no-fire station assignedthereto. The: operator now operates the station. key for station 22- or SK22 to cause the meat-- giza-tion of relay R22 and the lighting? of lam-p L22. in. a manner similar to that described for the other station relays. operatesthe apparatus keys AK--l and AK--2- to operate the indicating magnets associated with the blue symbols at station 22 so as to indicate numeral 0-0 thus indicating that. the. blue apparatus at station 22 has left that station. The dispatcher then operates release key 'RK. to release relay R22. As this fire is in an outlying district the dispatcher desires to set up such fire on the first or AA display section. The dispatcher' accordingly operates the display key AAK toassociate the indicating magnets associated with the group AA with the: apparatus keys. The dispatcher now operates the zone keys ZKI. and ZK2 to operate the zone indicating magnets associated with group AA to dis play zone 23- in the dispatchers section in a manner similar to that previously described. The

dispatcher now operates the apparatus" keys- AK--I and AK2 to operate the indicating magnets associated. with. the blue symbols in group AA. to display the numeral 22,. thereby indicating that the blue apparatus of station 22 has gone: to a. fire in zone 23.

It will now be assumedythat a second call comes in from the fire in zone l2 and that the: dispatcher orders the blue, red, and green apparatus of. station Not. l5 to go to that fire. The dispatcher accordingly operates the station key SKIS to operate station. relay Rl5 which at its upper armatures connect the indicating magnets associated with station I5 to the apparatus keys and at its lower armature locks itself energized and. maintains the lamp Llt'r illuminated. The dispatcher now operates the apparatus keys AK-t to AK6; to operate the corresponding indicating magnets associated with the blue, red, and green symbols of station 15 to display 0-0. thus setting up a reminder on the display panel; to the dispatcher that the blue, red, and green app atus of. station ii is not at its home posi- The dispatcher now tion. The dispatcher now operates the release key RK to deenergize RI5 and extinguish the lamp Ll5. As this additional apparatus from station I5 is sent to the fire in zone 12 the dispatcher will set up this display on the group DE. The-dispatcher accordingly operates the key DEK to energize relay RDE and illuminate lamp LDE. By the operation of relay RDE- the indicating magnets of the symbols in the DE group are now operatively connected with the apparatus keys. In a manner similar to that described the operator now operates the apparatus keys AK-l to AK-B to operate the indicating magnets of the blue, red, and green symbols to indicate the numeral 15 thereby setting up a reminder on the dispatchers section of the display panel that the blue, red, and green apparatus of station l5 has also been sent to the fire in zone l2.

In case a third alarm comes in from the fire in zone i2 the dispatcher orders the blue and red apparatus from station l3 to go to the-fire. The dispatcher accordingly operates the station key SKI3 to energize station relay Rl3 and lamp LI3. Relay R13 at its lower armature locks to the grounded release conductor H and at its upper armature connects the indicating magnets associated with the symbols at station l3 to the common apparatus keys. Since the dispatcher has ordered the blue and red apparatus from station l3 to proceed to the fire in zone I2, apparatus keys AKI to AK4, inclusive, are operated to in turn operate the indicating magnets associated with the blue and red symbols in station l3 until such symbols display the digits 0-0 and 0-0. The dispatcher now operates the release key RK to deenergize relay l3 and extinguish lamp LI3. Since the blue and red apparatus of station l3 has been ordered to the fire in zone l2 the dispatcher will operate the display key DFK to operate relay RDF and lamp LDF. In a manner similar to that previously described relay RDF looks through its lower armature, maintains the lamp LDF illuminated, and at its upper armatures operatively connects the apparatus keys with the indicating magnets associated with the symbols of group DF byway of the ten-conductor cable 20. The dispatcher now operates apparatus keys AKI to AKA, thereby operating the corresponding indicating magnets associated with the blue and red apparatus symbols in group DF to display the numeral l3. By the operation of the release key RK ground is removed from the release conductor ll, thereby opening the circuit to relay RDF and the circuit to lamp LDF.

The dispatchers section has now been set as is shown in Fig. 2, to indicate that there is a fire in zone 23 and that the blue apparatus at station 22 is at such fire. The dispatchers section also indicates that the blue, red, green, yellow, and gray apparatus of station l2, the blue, red, and green apparatus of station 15, and the blue and red apparatus of station I 3 is at a fire in zone I 2. The diiTerent stations now indicate the presence or absence of different pieces of apparatus thereat.

cates that the blue and red apparatus is absent while the green, yellow and gray apparatus are at home position; station 22 indicates that the blue apparatus is absent while the red, green, and yellow apparatus is at home position; station l2 indicates that the blue, red, green, yellow, and gray apparatus of station I2 is absent, while the blue, red, and green apparatus of station H has been transferred to station I2; and station H indicates that the blue. red and green apparatus of station II has left such station, the yellow apparatus is at home position, while the blue and red apparatus of station it] has been moved to station I l. The dispatcher or fire marshal at any time of the day by consulting the display panel can ascertain the exact location of each piece of mobile fire fighting apparatus.

In case a system of this type were used for a metropolitan police department then the display panel would represent the metropolitan area which would also be divided into zones taken care of by local police stations therein. In this case the different colored symbols may be used to designate squad cars, patrol wagons or even different units of personnel. The dispatchers section in this case would indicate to what point or zone the different types of apparatus and units of certain stations have been sent to.

In case a system of this type was used for military maneuvers the mimic map may be used to illustrate the sea-coast in case of naval maneuvers or a battlefield of a country. In naval maneuvers the different colored symbols may be used to designate mobile ships of different types as well as heavy mobile coast artillery. In case of army maneuvers the different colored symbols may be used to designate regiments or divisions, difierent types of artillery, and other mobile units used in the army.

Having described the invention what is considered to be new and is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. In an indicating system, the combination of an animated display board upon which difierent zones and stations of a metropolitan area are depicted in their relative geographic locations, each station normally containing mobile apparatus, each piece of apparatus having a particular number designation, symbols at each station representing fire fighting apparatus and depicting by a distinctive color the type of apparatus represented, means associated with each symbol for displaying a number designating the identity of the particular piece of apparatus occupying that location at the moment, and electrically controlled means for selecting any of said symbols and for changing the displayed number therein at will to thereby indicate the exact location of every piece of apparatus in the area at all times.

2. In an indicating system, an indicator board having a plurality of sections representing different sections of a metropolitan area, each different section containing fire fighting apparatus and each apparatus of each such section having a particular number designation, a symbol on the board representing each piece of fire fighting apparatus in the area, each symbol having a numerical digit display section, another section of the board having blank symbols representing types of apparatus, electromechanical means for changing the numerical designations of each symbol, a control point for the board before the fire control operator, means controlled at will by the operator for operating said electro-mechanical means to set up numbers on any symbol to indicate thereon, by a code, the numerical designation of any piece of apparatus, thereby indicating the exact location of every piece of apparatus in the area.

3. An indicating board having zone sections representing sections of a metropolitan area, and one common section, a plurality of types of symbols in each section, each type of symbols representing a type of fire fighting apparatus, and each symbol having a numerical designation space, a control point before a fire control operator, electromagnetic means for changing the numerical designations of any symbol controlled from said control point, each piece of apparatus having an assigned code number corresponding to the zone section to which such apparatus belongs,

, and means controlled by the control operator for at will setting up the code number of any piece of apparatus on a symbol of the type corresponding to the type of apparatus involved to indicate the exact location in the area of every piece of ap 10 paratus wherever it may be moved.

HARRY E. HERSHEY. 

